It always takes me by surprise when a couple's wedding day approaches. Sometimes it feels like we just shot an engagement session the previous week, and then BAM.. wedding day is here!

It's one of the best, most rewarding, parts of our jobs getting to connect with our couples on a personal level. After an engagement session, we're so often able to come away with newfound friends, and that's a pretty meaningful thing for us. Amanda and Stephen are no exception. Although their engagement shoot happened on one of the hottest days of the year last year during the dreaded peak of that Kansas City summer, these guys killed it! Not only did they look amazing, but their spirits were high, and the heat didn't seem to be able to touch them (aside from the sweat on their foreheads :). Maybe it was the glow of going through the process of cementing these moments as one of the first touchstones on their future life together. Maybe it was that they just love being with each other no matter what else is happening around them. Maybe it's because they had already got the afternoon off ... or maybe it was because the end of the day (shotgunning a couple Natty Lites in cognito at Loose Park) was in their minds throughout the shoot. Maybe it was a combination of all of that. Whatever it was, these two enjoyed their time taking engagement photos around KC, and I surely enjoyed my time with them!

Amanda and Stephen... we're so excited to celebrate with you here in a couple of weeks and can't wait to see how everything unfolds on your big day!!

Hey, look at us... a blog post. Yes, we always seem to be a bit behind on sharing our images, but we just had to get some up from this shoot with Megan and Luke! We shot in the woods just outside of the MU campus in Columbia, MO. Wooded areas have always been one of our favorite places to photograph. Part of it may be that Mark grew in the country, exploring the woods nearly every day of the summer with his older brother. Part of it may just be the sheer beauty of nature. Whatever it is, we're so glad that Megan and Luke wanted to shoot here... we loved the backdrops that the location offered and it was well worth the drive :)

It’s always fun, and often a little nerve-racking, to shoot for other photographers. But when Jessica asked me to shoot a couples’ session for her and Tim, I jumped at the chance. Not only is Jessica a friend of mine, whom I’ve have I had the joy of working with on multiple occasions in the past, but I also loved the idea of the shoot. They wanted something simple that just captured who they are in real life, and they wanted to shoot in their new loft in the Western Auto building in downtown Kansas City. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and again: I absolutely love shooting in people’s homes. It’s a place that holds so much intimacy and vulnerability. It’s a place where it feels completely natural to be completely ourselves. An added bonus was rooftop access with a view of the city, of course!

Jamie and Aaron live in the River Market area in downtown Kansas City. They love Kansas City and wanted to do the shoot on their stomping grounds. I mean, can you blame them? They live in one of the coolest parts of the city.

This was one of my favorite engagement photo sessions to date. I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately... I guess this fall has been good to us: great clients, fun shoots, and people buying me drinks... who could complain, right? I think one of the biggest reasons that this was such a successful shoot is that Jamie and Aaron were both very invested in it. By that I mean, they put a high value on the production of these images and made a huge effort to make them what they were... and it showed (both during the shoot and during post production). They picked out the perfect wardrobe (Jamie even procured a dress just for the shoot), and together we planned out exactly where to go in order to capture the imagery that would showcase their style and their life in the urban environment in which they live. Jamie even had her hair and makeup professionally styled at Posh KC!

By the way, I highly recommend doing this, and Posh KC did a fantastic job! Normally, hair & makeup artists are reserved for commercial shoots and wedding days. However, it makes a big difference on any shoot to have a professional stylist involved. They are "professional" for a reason, and there is a high value in their skill.

This good lookin' couple is getting married next September and we are stoked to have a part in telling their story:

What a fun shoot! Ariele and Trevor put a lot of thought into wardrobe choices, and I LOVE that! They brought a carload of clothes and I got to help them pick and choose what to wear. I HIGHLY recommend doing this, if at all possible. It leaves your options open and gives you the ability to, not only change your mind on the spot, but also to make an informed decision based on the environment that you’re in. I chose the locations for the shoot, so Ariele and Trevor had never seen them. They were able to update their wardrobe on the spot after seeing the different locations and deciding what would look best on them... and in the environment.

We shot in our own backyard, out south of the suburbs. I love getting to drive home as the sun is going down on most days and I have fallen in love with how the light rakes across the trees and the fields in these open spaces. I LOVE shooting here and was stoked when Ariele and Trevor were into the idea :)